HealthLeaders MediaEver since CMS debuted its hospital quality star rating system at the end of July , studies highlighting the system's shortcomings have proliferated. Criticism from healthcare executives, who along with members of Congress called for delay of the release, has continued. The clamor is well-founded. Hospitals contend that the ratings unfairly disparage some hospitals by boiling down multifaceted, complex organizations to a single grade.READ MORE

HealthLeaders MediaImproving medical license portability, removing barriers to telemedicine, and better state-federal coordination in battling opioid abuse are among the top priorities identified by the Federation of State Medical Boards in a letter this week to President-elect Donald Trump. The FSMB is ready to work with the incoming administration "to ensure that state medical boards continue to play a central role in shaping the future of medical regulation by protecting the public and promoting quality healthcare in the United States," FSMB President/CEO President Humayun J. Chaudhry, DO, said in the letter.READ MORE

MedPage TodayMembers of the Medicare Payment Assessment Commission (MedPAC) expressed caution Friday about a proposal to change the way Medicare pays for drugs under the Part B program. The Part B Drug Value Program (DVP) would use private vendors to negotiate drug prices, and would allow physicians to share in any savings that were generated.READ MORE

Medical XpressAn oral iron formulation may be a safe and effective treatment for anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease, according to a new study. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), point to a potential alternative to intravenous iron.READ MORE

Fierce HealthcareA group of medical students, who have started a grassroots movement called #ProtectOurPatients, will deliver a petition today in Washington signed by more than 4,000 future healthcare professionals urging Congress not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Medical students planned to gather this morning at the U.S. Capitol and the Department of Health and Human Services to protest repeal of the ACA, which could add nearly 30 million more people to the ranks of uninsured by 2019.READ MORE

MedPage TodayThe House of Representatives in a 227-198 vote dropped the second shoe in a march that will permit the quick repeal of the Affordable Care Act, the signature legislation of Barack Obama's presidency. Friday's action was not an actual repeal vote, but rather a procedural maneuver that mirrors one taken by the Senate earlier this week. In both cases the action will permit the Republican-controlled Congress to slide the repeal action into a budget reconciliation bill thus making the action filibuster-proof.READ MORE

Fierce HealthcarePhysicians who hinder federal audits or who fail to offer investigators quick access to medical records may be more likely to be excluded from Medicare and Medicaid under a new federal rule. The final rule (PDF), published late last week in the Federal Register, includes several updates to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s exclusion authorities. The move will likely pressure providers to cooperate in federal audits or investigations.READ MORE

ADAThe Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule Dec. 19, banning the use of most powdered medical gloves.
The rule, which goes into effect Jan. 18, applies to patient examination gloves, powdered surgeon's gloves and absorbable powder for lubricating a surgeon's glove.READ MORE

Science DailyA landmark study, led by Monash University's Biomedicine Discovery Institute with the involvement of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, has revealed the reason why men with a family history of prostate cancer who also carry the BRCA2 gene fault have a more aggressive form of prostate cancer.READ MORE

Los Angeles TimesAt a time when in-and-out appointments are a financial necessity for most physicians, a growing number of direct care or “concierge doctors” are using their practices to focus on wellness, not illness. They work on health and fitness goals with their patients, and are available to speak with them regularly by cellphone to help them make better lifestyle choices.READ MORE

California HealthlineCalifornians tend to avoid the worst of premium hikes on the state exchange by choosing lower-cost plans, but many also miss out on financial assistance because they pick the wrong type of plan or buy coverage off the exchange, according to two studies published in the journal Health Affairs.READ MORE